Thermal properties of a Nd:LuVO₄ crystal

Abstract

Abstract A Nd‐doped lutetium orthovanadate Nd:LuVO 4 crystal has been grown using a modified Czochralski method. The thermal properties of this crystal have been studied by measuring the thermal expansion, specific heat and thermal diffusivity. The thermal expansion coefficients are α 11 = 1.7 × 10 ‐6 , α 22 = 1.5 × 10 ‐6 and α 33 = 9.1 × 10 ‐6 /K in the temperature range of 298–573 K along the three respective crystallographic axes. The specific heat is almost linear and increases from 0.442 to 0.498 Jg ‐1 K ‐1 in the measured temperature range. The thermal diffusivity is anisotropic and decreases with increasing temperature from 295 to 548 K. At room temperature the calculated thermal conductivities κ 11 and κ 33 are 7.96 and 9.77 Wm ‐1 K ‐1 , respectively. These thermal parameters of Nd:LuVO 4 crystal have indicated that it is an excellent candidate laser material. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)